The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) was created by the Department ofTransportation Act of 1966. It is one of ten agencies within the U.S. Department ofTransportation concerned with intermodal transportation. FRA promotes safe,environmentally sound, successful railroad transportation to meet the needs of all customers today and tomorrow.

FRA's Office of Railroad Safety promotes and regulates safety throughout the Nation's railroad industry. The office executes its regulatory and inspection responsibilities through a diverse staff of railroad safety experts.

The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for working with stakeholders to develop cohesive goals and policies for maintaining and improving the U.S. freight and passenger rail networks. This section covers various efforts across America and the world in helping to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient rail transportation.

FRA Research & Development (R&D) projects contribute to the FRA's safety regulatory processes, to railroad suppliers, to railroads involved in the transportation of freight, intercity passengers, commuters, and to railroad employees and their labor organizations.

In this section, we provide descriptions and comprehensive, official sources for FRA's regulations (also called rules), selected legislation, as well as policy and guidance documents. Additionally, you will find current topics of high interest or significant impact to Congress, railroads, employees, labor, public interest groups and other stakeholders.

FRA supports passenger and freight railroading through a variety of competitive grant, dedicated grant, and loan programs to develop safety improvements, relieve congestion, and encourage the expansion and upgrade of passenger and freight rail infrastructure and services. FRA also provides training and technical assistance to grantees and stakeholders.

File a Title VI Complaint with the FRA

Individuals or organizations who believe they have been denied the benefits of, excluded from participation in, or subject to discrimination on the grounds of race, color, or national origin by a recipient of Federal Railroad Administration funding can file an administrative complaint with the Federal Railroad Administration's Office of Civil Rights under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

FRA investigates complaints on the basis of intentional discrimination or on the basis of disparate impact discrimination, where a neutral policy or practice has the effect of disproportionately excluding or adversely affecting minority beneficiaries or other protected individuals and the recipient's practice lacks a substantial legitimate justification.

Under the Executive Order on Environmental Justice and the U.S. Department of Transportation's Order to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations, a member of the public, a group of people, or their representatives can file an administrative complaint against a recipient of financial assistance from FRA, a transportation provider, a transportation-related entity, or FRA itself alleging discrimination and/or adverse environmental effects, including social and economic effects, against a specific minority or low income community or population group, due to a project or activity funded or carried out by DOT.

Individuals and organizations may file a complaint by completing the Title VI complaint form (see link pn the side). Complaints should be signed and include contact information and should be sent to:

FRA strives to promptly investigate the complaints received. At the conclusion of our investigation we will transmit a letter of finding to the complainant and the recipient. If our investigation determines that the recipient is not in violation of Title VI, our letters will explain why the recipient was found in compliance. If we determine that a recipient is in violation of Title VI, our letters will document the violation and instruct the recipient to take action to come into compliance.

No one may intimidate, threaten, coerce, or engage in other discriminatory conduct against anyone because he or she has either filed a complaint to secure rights protected by the nondiscrimination statutes we enforce. Any individual alleging such harassment or intimidation may file a complaint with the Federal Transit Administration. We would investigate such a complaint.